Fruit sorting and packing system



Feb. 22,) 1938. E. R. SANDMEYER FRUIT SQRTING AND PACKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 22, 1955 2 Shets-Sheefil Ernest R Sandmeyer j 444, AM

. I I W Y Patented eb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRUIT soa'rme m meme srs'rm Ernest R. Sandmeyer, Yakima, Wash.

Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,889

11 Claims. (01. 209425) over, this operation is accomplished withoutany My invention relates to a fruit sorting and packing system which may be used in sorting and/or packing operations for fruit or vegetables.

In various fruit conveying systems heretofore proposed for use in sorting and packing operations a large amount of floor space was required, and these-systems were not readily adapted to pack fruit where some one class suchas of size orgrade predominated. In general, the conveying mechanism for sorting the fruit was quite separate from and independentv of the packing mechanism. Similarly the packing mechanism for each grade was quite separate from the packing mechanism for any other grade. Thus if in a particular lot of fruit most of it could be classed in grade A, the packing mechanism for grades 13 and C, if the fruit was graded into three classes, would be almost idle, while the packing mechanism for grade A would be overloaded. Similarly, ii! a particular lot of fruit ran largely to grade C, the mechanism handling this grade would be overloaded, while the grade A and grade B mechanism would carry but very little load. Fin'thermore, the old-style packing mechanism for each grade was designed to accommodate a definite number of workmen, and hence when the mechanism handling a particular grade was overloaded, there was no room for additional workmen to assist in packing this,

grade. Because of the tendency of difl'erent lots of fruit to vary in grade in the same season, or for the proportions of difierent grades to vary from season-to season, such installations resulted in a substantial part of the entire packing mechanism at any one time carrying but little load, while other parts or the mechanism would be operating at full capacity.

It is the principal object' of my invention, therefore, to provide a sorting and packing system in which the mechanism handling the fruit sorting and the packing of the various grades can be compensated to, handle varying loads according to the particular crop or lot of fruit being sorted and packed.

Another purpose of my system is to coordinate the sorting and packing operations, so that if a large part of a' certain fruit lot is culls, which are not to be packed, additional workmen canbe employed in sorting fruit with fewer engaged in packing grades A and B, or it desired, more workmen may be employed in packing one grade than in packing another, and the grade which most workmen are packing may be any one of the several grades, as conditions require, Moreof the mechanism of the system remaining idle, or but slightly loaded, as has been the practice heretofore. I

Another object of my invention is to provide fruit sorting and packing mechanism which will occupy the minimum of fioor space, but which nevertheless may provide for sorting and Packing as many grades 0! fruit as desired.

Fruit packers work at high speed, and their actions become automatic. They are accustomed to grasp a fruit in the right hand, simultaneously grasping a wrapper in the left, and bringing the two together above the box in a quick wrapping movement, the right hand' again reaching for an apple as the left hand, holding the fruit, places the latter in its position in the box, and again reaches for a new wrapper.

Any disturbance of this routine interrupts the automatic actions, slows down and fatigues the packer. It is therefore another object of my invention to provide a packing arrangement whereby all the packers will work in positions where the fruit is approaching them, and they will never be required to' grasp at fruit as it recedes fromv them, and whereby they will be enabled to work automaticaly, in the accustomed manner. This object is obtained while using all available space adjacent to the path of travel of the fruit for packers stations.

A further object is to improve the arrangement for sorting, making this operation more convenient for the sorters, and insuring, where desired, that all fruitis definitely sorted and graded. r

Other objects of my invention, and more particularly those inherent in the arrangement of .my system illustrated, will be evident from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

My invention comprises the system and mechanism, and more particularly the correlation and arrangement of the various parts, illustrated -in the accompanying drawinga'described in the specification, 'and defined by the appended.

claims. a

The drawings show an installation '0; my system' which will accomplish the desired results, but the-particular mechanism illustrated is intended only as an example of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, and Figure 2 a diagrammatic side elevation of my invention, showing the general arrangement of the the me of the backing board so extends a shunt-' ing belt 33 which movesin the direction of the Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure mechanical details. Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view, showing certain mechanical details. 1

The general. arrangement of my sorting and packing system provides a number of in line compartments, one preferably being arrangedfor The circulating system consists of a' pair of fruit conveying belts i and I3, disposed'in side by side relation, preferably contiguously, that is, substantially meeting so that an apple cannot drop therebetween, and running lengthwise through all the fruit-circulating compartments, and each moving in a direction opposite to the other, as shown by the arrowsin Figure 1. The

,term belt is 'to be understood as a'general designation of any suitable fruit transfermechanism, such as rollers or chains, or even slightly inclined chutes, and I do not intend its meaning to be restricted only to belts. The particular type of transfer mechanism-employed will, of course, depend on the requirements of the individual installation. A plurality oi separatecom- .grades' to be packed separately, merely by inpartments is created by bailies 2, 3, I and 5' extending transversely across the two fruit transfer belts. The several compartments formed by these baiiies are designated 8, which may be the sorting compartment, A, which may be the compa'rtment receiving grade A fruit, and B, which may be the compartment receiving grade B fruit. Compartments A and B are the packing compartments, and the number of these may, of course, be increased to allow any number of different creasing the number of transverse bailies.

Above the transfer belts, preferably arranged in superposed position, are fruit distributing belts 3, I and 3, delivering respectively grade A fruit andgradeB fruit to their packing compartments, and culls from the sortingcompartmena-or culls erroneously reaching the several packing co'mpartments, to the cull bin. The number of these belts will, of course, vary with the number of packing compartments, varying with the number of fruit grades packed separately. when, the

apples have been packed the boxes maybe carried away from thepacking stations by belts 9 disposed parallel to the main fruit transfer belts. If it isnot desired to pack-the culls they may be carried along by belt 3 to be deposited in a bin Q In Figure 3 is shown an elevational view of the partitioning'bafile 3, illustrating a working form of driving and supporting mechanism. The baf-' fies may consist merely of inclined boards, but

I prefer to employ upright shunting'belts as 11- lustrated. The bending baiiie 3' consists .of a.

backing board 33, at one end ofwhich is supported an idler pulley 3|, while at the other end is mounted a pulley 33 driven throughv gears 33 by a motor 34. Around the pulleysand across arrows showninl lgui'e '1. The impact of fruit against the baille is considerably decreased by providing this belt so that the fruit is not bruised.

1,. showing some of the The movement of the beltalso assists in carrying the fruit over onto the-oppositely moving. belt, thus decreasing congestion.

This basic 3, and likewise the baiiie 4., may be shifted bodily lengthwise of the belts i and iii to vary compensably the relative sizes of the compartments 8, A and B, that is, one compartment may be enlarged any desired amount by -correspondingly decreasing the size of the ad-L.

Jacent compartment, without changing tlze number of the compartments. Baiiles 3 and 5 may be fixed in position since the size of the compartments may be adjusted in any desired mannen by shifting only bailles 3 and 4. To decrease the size of compartment A," for example, baille 4 may be moved bodily from the solid line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. The attitude or angular relation of the baiile to the belts need not and should not be altered by such bodily movement. To permit these partitioning bailles to be shifted they may be supported at each end by sleeves 36 bearing'on' the the fruit from the grade A delivery belt 8 into compartment A- may be combined with the baiile 3. I

This mechanism-has been illustrated as being supported from the backing piece 30 by means of a strap iron bracket Ill. Il'he belt 3 is kept from sagging down onto the baille 3 by a roller 6i supported on the baiile 3. l

This auxiliary shunting bai'iie extending across the top of the delivery belt 6 has a backing piece 62 which supports at its ends pulleys 33, one of which is driven from-the motor 34 by means 7 of abelt 34 or other suitable drive; A shunting belt 65 is carried by the pulleys 33 and travels in the direction indicated by the arrows'in Figure 1. Supported also from the backing piece 30 is a chute 66, down which fruit may slide from the belt 8 onto the belt I. This chute-66 may be removed so that upon removal of the pins 31 the entire assembly including baiiie 3 and the shunting baiile extending across the belt 3 may be removed from its operative position or adjusted lengthwise of the machine without having to remove any of the delivery belts, or disturbing the transfer belts.

'A suitable drive for the shunting belts of the end baflles 2 and i may'betaken from driving a mechanism for belts I and I0, respectively, if de- 35 issupported' on the pulley H, which in turn is' driven by bevel gears 52. These bevel gears .are in turn driven by spur gears 53 driven from the pulley II which carries one end of and drives the belt I-. .The pulley SI and its gear H are supported from the backing piece 53.

Various mechanism within the skill of the mechanic may be devised for supporting and driving the several fruit delivery and'fruit transfer v belt I isdriven by the pulley ,jwhile the belt III a is driven bythe pulley II. The pulley 61 drives the belt 6, and the pulley 80 drives the belt having lower and upper runs 1 and 8. Tosupport Fruit is delivered in an ungraded condition down a chute l5 onto one of the transfer belts l. Carried along by this belt the fruit comes into contact with the ,baflle 3, and is shunted, aided by means of the belt 35, onto thebelt l traveling in the direction opposite to belt I. By this belt the fruit is carried back towards the feed end of the system, where it encounters the bailie 2 and is/ shunted back onto the belt I, thus completing a circulating cycle in a counterclockwise direction.

' Graders G stand or sit at each side of the pair belt Ill into. the cull bin C.

of belts I and I0 constituting a circulating unit; The fruit to be. sorted is thus circulated in the manner stated through a closed path past the graders.'and they may select from the passing fruit any which they choose. Grade A fruit, selected fromthe mass, is placed upon belt 6, grade B fruit is placed upon belt 1, while culls and, t in the instant installation, fruit below the first two grades are placed on the belt 8 which discharges into the chute 8!, leading to the hopper C. If preferred, the baflie 2'may be removed, and all fruit not placed on the belts and T, by the time it reaches the end of belt in, maybe considered cull fruit, and may be discharged ofi' the end of The grade A fruit, carried by the belt 6, contacts the baffle adjacent to the grade A compartment, A, where it is shunted by the belt 65 into the chute 66, to be deposited upon the belt I. This belt, then, carries the fruit in the direction of the arrow until it strikes the baflie'4, where it is shunted, with the assistance of the belt 45, onto the oppositely moving belt l0. On-this belt the fruit travels back until it encounters the bafile 3,

.' where, with the help of the belt 35, it is carried back onto the belt I.

The circulation of the fruit in 'a direction appreaching the packers, andin a path immediately adjacent to the packers, greatly facilitates the packing operation. Every apple advances within easy reach of the packer and he may spot in advance the apple which he is next going to remove from the belt, He does not snatch at apples suddenly emerging from behind him and receding from him as he must do in some packing systems. Instead every action is deliberate and methodical. As he is wrapping one apple the packer may pick out with his eye from the mass of apples moving toward him the next .to be removed from the belt. This selected apple is picked up with the right I hand, a wrapper is simultaneously picked up with the left hand, the two hands are brought together and the apple wrapped and deposited in the box,

- and meanwhile the packer is visually selecting the next apple to be packed.

The packer's cycle of operation thus approaches a rhythm. Each action is deliberate, each movement being exactly planned before it is initiated. No lost motion is present and speed-is increased while fatigue is materially lessened. Each movement is that most convenientfor the packer, the right hand being the one most natural with which to grasp the fruit. 1

Furthermore it may be desirable ,to have selected packers for each compartment pack apples of selected sizes. Thus one packer would choose from his compartment apples of a particular size only, while another packer would select from the same compartment apples of another size. Since the apples always approach toward the packer, he

has ample opportunity'to pick from the mass the apples of the particular size which he'is packing before they get to him. With my system, therefore, the fruit moves in a manner most convenient for selection and removal of the fruit from the belt by the packer, while at the same time all the space available adjacent to the'circulating path of the fruit may accommodate packers. A maximum number of packers thus pack with the-greatest convenience and least effort from mechanism occupying a minimum amount of floor space.

Grade B fruit is carried by belt I until it en-, counters the baflie adjacent to compartment B,

where it is shunted by belt 15 into chute l6, and

' place them 'on transfer belts 9 where they are carried away from the packing stations.

If in the particular lotof fruit being packed grade B predominates, compartment B, circulating this grade of fruit, may be enlarged. and compartment A, circulating grade A fruit, will be diminished to the same extent. To accomplish this the baflie 4; upon which is carried the baffle belt 15, shunting fruit from belt 1, may-be shifted from the solid line position shown in Figure l to the dotted line position. Not only does this manipulation increase the closed path about which the grade 3 fruit circulates, but as shown at the upper side of the figure, a packers station which previously was adjacent to compartment A will now be adjacent to compartment 3. This packer will now pack grade :3 fruit instead of grade A fruit.

The system may thus be adjusted so that the concentration of fruit carried by the belts i and II) at all points will be approximately the same. Since, however, in the hypothetical case suggested, more grade B fruit than grade A fruit is being delivered, the adjustment mentioned will allow more packers to pack this grade'without increasing the congestion in the slightest. The

packers'may, as a matter of fact, remainin their origin'al stations.' In this way, therefore, not

predominating grade, while automatically fewer workmen are packing the grade or grades which do not predominate and which are circulating through smaller orbits. At the same time, all

grades are taken care of, and it is not necessary to eliminate packing of any grade because of increase in'the space allotted to some other grade.

If, on the other hand, a particular lot of ap- 5 ples runs heavily to culls, which are not packed,

there will be fewer apples selected from the sort-' ing compartment 8 which are placed upon the grade Aand grade B belts l and I. Hence the graders, if no compensation were provided, would 10 be working at full capacity, while all of the pack-, ers would be relatively idle. To remedy this situation, baiiies 8 and 4 would both be moved to the right, in Figures land 2 to decrease insize both packing compartments, while the sorting compartment S wouldbe correspondingly enlarged. The result of this maneuver would be that some of the packers previously packing grade 3 fruit would nowbe packing grade A fruit at the right hand end of the new compartment A, while the workmen previously packing grade A fruit at the -left hand end of compartment A would'now be opposite the enlarged sorting compartment. They would therefore stop packing, and would assist the graders in culling out the apples below I 26 grades Aand B andin sorting and placing upon belts I and I the grade A and grade B fruit, re-

spectively.

The ultimate result in this situation would be that the total number of packers were decreased,

80 but the rate at which each workman packed would remain approximately the same as when the percentage of culls in a lot of fruit was small. The number-of graders, on the other hand, would be increased, so that while -the proportion of a5 apples being sorted to those being packed would be considerably greater than would normally be the case, the graders would not be overworked because their'number would be increased. Even in a situation of this kind it will be evident that (v 4 the fruit would be about evenly distributed over both belts I and it throughout their entire lengths.

It will be seen, therefore, that while my sorting and packing system occupies at all times a constant floor space, it is nevertheless very fle xible and maybe arranged to accommodate widely varying lots of fruit, whichever grade predominates, yet without eliminating any grade.

The compensating mechanism, moreover; is extremely simple, any desired adjustment being so- 'complishedmerely by shifting bellies-l and l lengthwise of the circulating unit comprising the pair of belts l--- and II. It is unnecessary, of

course, to shift bellies i and I since these merely define the ends of the belts.

Furthermore, if desired. the fruit may be sorted prior to its being delivered to the DOW], and

the sorting compartment 8 may be transformed into a packing compartment so that three grades 00 may be packed with the apparatus shown. If

the sorting compartment is desirable in addition to three packing compartments, additional superposed delivery belts may be provided cooperating with additional shunting belies and partitions.

I On the other hand, if only a ,single grade is to be packed, the baiiie l mu be entirely removed, or moved to the extreme right-hand end 'of the belts and Ii,- viewed in Figure 1, adjacent to Y the bailie I: The entire length of the transfer belts will then form only two compartments, one

for sorting and one for packing, and the baiiie I may be shifted to make these of the desired relative sizes. The system may thus'be adapted ss' desired to any requirements without overloadfrom the latter to its respep ends of'said adjoining ing anypart, and without any equipment or work men remaining idie.-

The belts i and ill have been illustrated'and described as circulating the fruit ina counterclockwise direction for the greater convenience of right-handed packers, the fruit in such caseadvanclng toward the packers. Iffor any rea-' son, such as-where left-handed packers pred'om inate in a given organization, it should be desired,

the direction of travel of each of belts I and i0 'may be reversed and correspondingly, the angle ing, in combination, a table, two oppositely moving belts, each of a width substantially half the width of said table, disposed on the table in edgeto-edge relationship, a plurality of partitions inclined relatively to the belts, including two fixed one at each end of the table, and intermediate partitions deflninga sorting compartment and a plurality oipacking compartments arranged in. line, each intermediate partition defining the adjacent ends of two adjoining compartments, an

individual distributing belt for conveying fruit from the sorting compartment'to each packing compartment, extending parallel to and above the line of compartments, shunt means associated with each distributing belt to transfer fruit tive. compartment, and means for positioning said intermediate partitions in various locations lengthwise of said first two belts to vary compensably the relative sizes of adjoining compartments, increasing the length of oneand correspondingly decreasing the length of the adjoining one, while preserving intact the i m ty of both compartments for the circulation of fruit therein.

2. The combination of claim 1, and means sup- I porting each of the shunt means, from a partition to be shifted therewith as the partition is shifted to alter the size of the compartments.

3. A fruit sorting and packing device, comprising, in combination, a pair of fruit transfer belts disposed incontiguousrelation, each to convey fruit ina direction opposite to the other, sorting compartment baiile partitions extending transversely entirely across 'both said fruit transfer transversely entirely across both said fruit transfer beits to form. two packing compartments in each of which'fruit of one grade circulates, and a baile and chute device adjacent to each packing compartment to shunt fruit from adistributing belt into the packing compartment circulating fruit of the corresponding grade.

4. A fruit conveyingtable comprising a pair of oppositely moving .belts disposed in side by side packing compartment baifle partition extending it, I

relation. two spaced bames fixed in position and Iv operable to shunt fruit from ,one belt to the other,

a partition dispoud between said two bailies, extending. across said Pair of belts, defining with said fixed baiiies two adjoining fruit circulating compartments, and nstituting the adjacent t circulating compartments, and means for fixing said partition in various locations between said bellies, extending side by-side relation and extending lengthwise ofacross said pair of belts, to vary compensably the sizes of the adjoining compartments, increasing the size of one and correspondingly decreasing the size of the other, while preserving intact the integrity of both compartments for the circulation of fruit therein.

5. A fruit conveying tablecomprising a pair of oppositely moving coextensive belts, disposed in the table, a definite number of partitions in excess oftwo extending transversely across said belts,

including two partitions fixed one at each end of said pair of belts, and the remaining partitions being disposed intermediately between said fixed partitions and defining a definite number of adjoining fruit circulating compartments, each intermediate partition acting as the adjacent ends of two adjoining compartments, whereby the compartments in the aggregate occupy all the space between said end partitions, means to deing a pair of oppositely moving belts disposed in side-by-side relation, a plurality of spaced shunt elements dividing the length of the belts into two .or more packing compartments and defining the ends of such compartments, said shunt elements being disposed, with relation to the direction of movement of the belts, to effect circulation oi fruit in each compartment in a closed path, and means supporting the intermediate shunt elements and guiding the latter for bodily movement longitudinally of the belts, tovary compensably the relative lengths of the diflerent packing compartments I 7. A fruit sorting and packing device, comprising a pair of. oppositely moving belts disposed in side-by-side relation, a plurality of spaced Y shunt elements dividing the length of the belts into two or more packing compartments and defining the ends of such compartments, said'shunt elements being disposed, with relation to the direction 01 movement of the belts, to effect circulation oi. fruit in each compartment in a closed path, means supporting the intermediate shunt elements and guiding the latter-for bodily move-, ment longitudinally of the belts, to vary com- 55 pensably the relative lengths oi! the. different packing compartments, and means-'todeliver oppositely moving belts disposed in side-by-side relation, their outeredgesdeflning the edges of the table, and being accessible to packers at a number of stations spaced from endto end and at each side thereof, a plurality of shunt elements extending transversely of both belts, and spaced along the length of the belts to define the ends of a plurality of packing compartments, and in cooperation with the belts to efiect circulation of fruit in each compartment in a closed path, and means supporting certain of said shunt elements, between those located at the two ends of the belts, for shifting lengthwise of the belts, thereby to include a greater number of packing stations in any one compartment and a lesser number in an adjoining compartment.

9. A fruit conveying table comprising a pair of oppositely moving belts disposed in contiguous edge to edge relation, two upright flanges disposed one in contiguous relation to each of the remote edges of said belts, two spaced shunting members fixed in position and operable to shunt fruit from one belt to the other, a partition disposed between said shunting members and' extending across said belts, to form with said shunting members and flanges two adjoining fruit circulating compartments, and means supporting said partition from said two flanges for disposition in various locations lengthwise of said belts, to. vary compensably the lengths of. said adjoining compartments, increasing the size of one and correspondingly decreasing the size of the other, while preserving intact the integrity I oi both compartments for the circulation of fruit therein. 7 v

10. A fruit conveying unit comprising a table, an upright flange extending along each edge oi said table, workmen's stations along both sides of said table immediately adjacent thereto, two oppositely moving belts, each of a width substantially hall the width 0! said table, disposed on said table in edge to edge relationship and between said table flanges, and a plurality of shunting members extending crosswise of said belts to shunt fruit. from one belt to the other and back to the flrst again, the directions .of movement of said belts and the disposition of said members to the opposite side and past every station at that side, and then back to the point of commencement, one or more intercepting members disposed transversely s: the path of the fruit, between its ends, to convert the single path of circulation into a plurality of. closed paths, each within a compartment ideflned either by two adjoining interceptingmembers, or by an intercepting member and .hn adjoining end of'the original closed path, and means whereby each intercepting member T-may be shifted bodily, lengthwise of the original path of the fruit, to compensabiy vary the length of each of two ad-- Joining compartments, and to include a station,

i'ormerly'at the endof one compartment, within the adjoining compartment.

- ERNEST R. BANDMEYER, 

